What does a pony need? The right hay for ponies

Ponies evolved on sparse, poor grazing, so they are efficient “easy keepers” that gain weight easily and are especially prone to laminitis and Equine Metabolic Syndrome. What suits a big sport horse can be far too rich for a pony.

For most ponies the priority isn't more calories, it's plenty of low-sugar, higher-fibre forage to keep them chewing and their gut healthy, without the sugar that triggers laminitis.

What most ponies need

• Low-sugar hay (NSC below ~10–12%), confirmed by analysis, the single most important point
• Plenty of forage by weight (around 1.5% of bodyweight) to keep them chewing, but watch total calories
• Mature, higher-fibre grass hay rather than rich, leafy, early-cut hay
• Usually a balancer for minerals rather than calorie-dense concentrates

Why sugar is the pony's biggest risk

Because ponies are so efficient, excess sugar and calories quickly become fat and insulin problems, the road to laminitis. Rich grass and untested hay are the common triggers. Feeding analysed, low-sugar hay lets you provide enough forage for gut health and chewing without tipping a pony over the edge.

How Prime Hay helps pony owners

Prime Hay is lab-tested every batch, so you can choose a low-sugar hay with confidence, and dust-extracted for older ponies with sensitive airways, delivered and placed across Portugal and Spain.

Frequently asked

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